


Stars and wine, golden shine

by sorb_aucup



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: F/F, Gen, Habsburg Empire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21956533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorb_aucup/pseuds/sorb_aucup
Summary: Annelise is to marry Carmen and doesn't mind. Not much. There's money in it. She might kind of find Spain attractive, too.
Relationships: Austria/Spain (Hetalia)
Kudos: 12





	Stars and wine, golden shine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kate_Marley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kate_Marley/gifts).



1496

The wedding went different than Annelise had anticipated.  
France was to be pushed aside by strenghthening the ties between the Spanish and the Austrian Empire; England was absolutely on their side. Easy. Annelise prepared her unauspicious dress, and decided to come as a lesser noble guest to attend the double wedding of their countries - and later, in secret, her and Spain's. The future was clear-cut and well prepared: Their royal families married, so they did, too. Spain and Austria would form their union and get to know each other by accompagnying their respective sovereign, seeing each other's faces a few times during the official formalities.  
Anneliese had been prepared for meeting, wooing, dazzling someone, and then calmly explaining to them how to clean the floor. She had not so much expected to fail at both.  
They were left alone in a room together for an hour in oder to "warm up a little, darlings, you will spend some time around each other in the future, after all, right, I will be right back", and were expected to exchange promises of fidelity and allegiance later with all the pomp and wine necessary for such an occasion.  
So here they sat and looked at each other. Anneliese did a well practiced bow with her head, and Spain started a grannd gesture, but stopped, and cocked her head. "It's been a long time", she said. "Want some wine?"  
Anneliese hesitated. "I'm pleased to meet you, of course, Carmen. It has been a long time indeed."  
Carmen flipped her hair, crossed her legs, and put way too much wine into two goblets. "Come on, let's not do that. Life here is so easy, so nice, isn't it? Simple. But man, I miss the New World."  
Austria took the golbet. "Tell me." Carmen's big brown eyes glinted. "Sure. Ask me about anything you want to know."  
Anneliese sat primly and wondered for how long she would have to listen to Spain's exploits until the interesting, economic, part would come. And how much of Carmen's open, carefree exterior was there to mask her plans and ideas. This would be interesting. The charming atmosphere she had planned for, though, was gone.

From the very start Anneliese wasn't sure whether she despised Carmen, or simply liked to be wary of fellow empires in general.  
Carmen wore huge earrings and way too much gold with way too much ease, and in Anneliese's elegantly and conservatively decorated chambers, with flowers and paintings and no glitter at all, her style seemed loud and glaring, like her harsh and deep voice.  
She was also feminine in a way Anneliese was not and would never be, and although Anneliese knew who she was and that she liked exactly what and who she was, she was both fascinated and jealous. Anneliese could be cultured and elegant all she wanted, Carmen was seen. Anneliese could be the person in the room everyone would turn to because she had power and value, Carmen would attract glances just by whooshing by and talking animatedly at the other end of the ballroom.  
It went on like that whenever they participated in the same things.  
Anneliese might have the most notable musical talent, Carmen would be the one to sing. To be noticed. Some Habsburg court members would giggle at the brash Spaniard, she would nevertheless always be noticed and never blush at anything thrown her way.  
Anneliese couldn't pretend to be family with her. So she did what worked whenever she was stressed out, she played and played the piano and the violin and even her old flute, and whenever she needed to relax after an especially long marriage contract negotiation, she'd bake. And curiously enough, the more she relaxed, the more Carmen would show up, alone, and listen to her playing the piano, feet swinging, humming under her breath, annoying and reassuring Anneliese at the same time, which really confused the hell out of her.  
And Carmen would try cakes and beam, smiling her all too open smile, and say "Thiz iz so good, Austria!"  
Anneliese knew very well that blood and mud and too much sugar was what they all were craving at this time, as was Carmen, and she really resented how Spain's warm brown eyes covered all that with an innocent, open look.

1516

Twenty years later, things between them were the same.  
The latest wedding had reached its festive part, as had their half-heartedly sworn union, and they were alone together for the first time in months, awkward and silent, because there was not much to chat about and too much to ask. The warm summer night air engulfed you outside, and the soft wind that had picked up offering some refreshment. Having left the party behind, Annelieses cheeks flushed from the wine and Carmen was wearing a satisfied smile on her lips because the food has been just too good. Stars glimmered on the dark sky, almost as shiny as the gems in Carmen's hair.  
"You know", Carmen said, smiling at Anneliese in a way she never had before, serious and subdued, "I really envy you." Nothing followed, only their slow steps echoing on the stones.  
"And how is that?", Anneliese finally asked, frostier than she intended.  
"Ah, carina, you are really cool, you know? You will face everything with this cold smile of yours, and it works every time. Don't you know what I mean?" When Anneliese blinked, stunned, Carmen shot her a curious glance. "We have met before, during the war of succession. I am sure you remember me." Anneliese nodded. "You were different then. You have become a lot colder now. In a good way, though. No one will ever get a raise out of you. I saw you and I thought wow, I will never be as superior as this girl. So... as much as I am interested in keeping my house and my schedule, it's my honour to share my glorious country with yours. And I hope that you will not grow bored with me." Her lips curled upward in a perfectly drawn, lipsticky red curve, and Annelieses breath caught. "I won't", she promised, quietly, an automatic response, but very true, once her brain caught up and she pondered about it. Anneliese thought that she might not despise Carmen that much after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Found this, wrote it for your SpAus challenge, didn't finish it. Now I did. Merry Christmas time & happy new year, Kate!


End file.
